Armand Duplantis, defeated after three years » The pole vault world record holder finished two in a competition in Sweden

Sweden's Armand Duplantis has dominated the pole vault, winning everything possible in recent years, but he was beaten on Sunday after winning 40 competitions in a row.

His fans were expecting a 16th world record, but the two-time Olympic champion finished with a jump of 5.80m, missing twice at 6.00m and once at 6.05m.

The world record belongs to him and is 6.31 m, achieved in March, in Uppsala. The last time Duplantis did not take first place in a competition was in 2023 in Monaco.

In Stockholm on Sunday, the Swede was bested by Australia's Kurtis Marschall with 5.90m, who then attempted 6.05m without success. Frenchman Baptiste Thiery took third place, also with 5.80 m.

Armand Duplantis: “It was time to lose”

“I felt a little out of focus today. You're either lucky in love or you're lucky in life, and the wedding is coming up, so maybe that's a positive part of the whole situation. … Hats off to Kurtis, who beat me fair and square, and I have no excuses,” said Armand Duplantis, in his first outdoor competition of the year.

Armand Duplantis married Desiré Inglander civilly in Stockholm in March, and this month in Cannes they will have the other party.

He pointed out: “It was time to lose. A very long time has passed. I can't believe I've won 40 contests in a row. It's pretty crazy, but it's just as crazy that I'm losing in Stockholm, which is the most important competition of the year for me. It's not the last time I'll lose, but I hope it's the last time I lose in Stockholm; I'll make sure it doesn't happen again”.

World records set by Armand Duplantis

• 6.17m – February 8, 2020 (Torun, Poland)

• 6.18m – 15 February 2020 (Glasgow, UK)

• 6.19m – March 7, 2022 (Belgrade, Serbia)

• 6.20m – March 20, 2022 (Belgrade, Serbia)

• 6.21m – July 24, 2022 (Eugene, USA)

• 6.22m – February 25, 2023 (Clermont-Ferrand, France)

• 6.23m – September 17, 2023 (Eugene, USA)

• 6.24m – April 20, 2024 (Xiamen, China)

• 6.25m – August 5, 2024 (Paris, France)

• 6.26m – August 25, 2024 (Chorzow, Poland)

• 6.27m – February 28, 2025 (Clermont-Ferrand, France)

• 6.28m – June 15, 2025 (Stockholm, Sweden)

• 6.29m – August 12, 2025 (Budapest, Hungary)

• 6.30m – September 15, 2025 (Tokyo, Japan)

• 6.31m – March 12, 2026 (Uppsala, Sweden)